Warheads and warhead structures are used in many various conditions and circumstances including air to air ordnance, ground to air ordnance, air to ground ordnance, ground to ground ordnance, and structural demolition charges. Design of an effective warhead or other penetrating projectile involves analysis of several considerations including penetration, blast, and fragmentation performance. Pertinent design parameters include shape, size, mass, material composition, enhanced or combined effect features (combinations of fragmentation, incendiary, and explosive effects), and others.
Warhead shape, size, and material composition are selected according to functional considerations. Some warheads have an aerodynamic shape that facilitates delivery through the air while others are shaped to assist penetration or to affect a particular explosive signature upon impact/detonation. Some warheads are shaped and integrated into higher order assemblies such as missile systems. Warhead size and mass are examples of design parameters that support and enable the ultimate performance of the warhead.
Various existing techniques are used to attain enhanced/combined effects. For example, several techniques have been used to attain enhanced fragmentation capabilities. These include prefabricated fragments molded into a shell constructed from metal or other suitable materials, and machining (scribing) of a fragmentation pattern into a continuous wall surface of a shell body. Combined effects have been achieved through the incorporation of warhead sub-assemblies using specialized reactive or dissimilar materials that are “attached” to the basic warhead.
Conventional warhead manufacturing methods typically use casting or forging technologies to construct core components. Warhead material selections and designs are generally restricted to those capable of casting or forging, limiting allowable shapes, sizes, material compositions, capabilities, and effects. Multiple part subassembly constructions (particularly for combined effects features) are typically used. These increase touch labor, parts count, and design/development/production costs while reducing design options.
Conventional warhead manufacturing methods involve design and fabrication of molds and other overhead that hinder development of new warhead design concepts. This tooling requirement lengthens both design and fabrication cycles, necessitates significant upfront and specialized infrastructure expenses, and fails to efficiently support rapid prototyping activities.